Introduction
In the recent past, numerous efforts have been undertaken to increase the awareness of the LGBTQ community. Due to these deliberate efforts, several changes have been witnessed in the quest for implementation of fair and equal rights. Several resources have been put aside, and this allocation is increasing daily to ensure that all people have access to the same opportunities despite their gender. These changes can be attributed to the several challenges that parents and children undergo through in LGBT societies. These efforts have changed the way in which the LGBT families were viewed, and they are more acceptable in the country recently. However, the negative stereotyping and prejudicing that is faced on gender equality is a matter of social concern. Thus, several organizations have come up with ways to help in the affected families from a psychological perspective, the acquisition of education and social development.
Mental Health
In matter regarding the mental health of the LGBTQ persons facing stigma and discrimination in the society, it’s important for the children alongside their parents to undergo therapy sessions. The therapy sessions would help the victims of LGBTQ associated stigma to accept themselves in an environment that is unsupportive to them. Some may argue that children in LGBTQ families experience more psychological torture (McConnell et al., p 59). However, this is not the case. According to research conducted AACAP in 2003, there is no difference in the emotional growth of children who are living with lesbian and gay parents when compared to children who live with parents who are heterosexual.
In the real sense, kids do not have slow development in their emotions due to the fact that they are raised in an LGBTQ set up but rather due to environment associated factors. The therapy sessions may not be necessary to a child who has emotional support from the immediate family as well as the parents, although the child can still benefit more from therapy if they are given a chance. McConnell et al., p 60, argued that some of the children that they have interviewed viewed the external sources as unnecessary in case they got a backup from their parents and society at large.
Some other attendants argued that they were able to access external sources such as therapy through the efforts of their parents by facilitating their therapy sessions or looking for places they could attend the sessions. Such parents who facilitate their kids in attending the therapy sessions contribute to the positive development of the child. The number of counselors experts in matters regarding LGBTQ has steadily increased. These counselors help the concerned victims to know that their families love them as well as making their families accepting them as LGBTQ. Carlozzi suggests that counselors are of great importance both parents and children in guiding them on matters related to transgender.
Further, counselors can help families to be empathetic when dealing with LGBTQ community as well as caring for them. The care given to the families involve undergoing with them any grieving, shameful and worrying moments. Currently, LGBTQ members who are supported by their loved ones such as the parents, partner or children are less likely to fall into depression and anxiety-related disorders resulting from stigmatization. However, this has to be coupled up with therapy sessions and any other necessary external assistance to lower the probability of one getting depressed.
Children from both homosexual and heterosexual parents are likely to be discriminated by their age mates. The parents to such children should talk to their children early about the possibility of being discriminated by their fellow age mates (Carlozzi). Such a discussion by both the parents and their children will help the children to understand their parents and the LGBTQ community early enough rather than getting it from their peers.
The discussions can be integrated with reading materials such as fiction and non-fictional tales; hence the children are psychologically prepared of what they are likely to face while still young. The homosexual and heterosexual parents can prepare their children on how to handle the discrimination, teases and bullies from their age-mates by preparing them early on how to cope with any enquiries and negative comments regarding their family background. In addition to that, the parents should encourage to have regular discussions with their children and open communications. However, the discussions should consider the age of the children and the level of their understanding.
Further, the parents have a duty to support the children in coming up with responses that are appropriate to any questions or bullying words from their peers. Discrimination is still prevalent in the learning facilities and other social places that the children may visit (Carter et al., p 60). Thus, when the heterosexual and homosexual parents openly and regularly have discussions with the children about their status, the children become psychologically prepared on how to cope with any discriminatory or mean comments at their young age. As per recent research on children who their parents are gay, the research results indicated that the young adults performed better in school as well as they did not face many challenges resulting from their characters. The research also indicated that young adults with either gay or lesbian parents shown to be more committed to their studies when compared to their peers who come from a family with opposite sex parents.
Although the correlation between teenagers and their love for school has been linked with less negative issues with their behavior as well as better emotional development, scientific studies also have proven the same. This connection between the adolescents and school have led to some arguing that it can be as a result of the teenagers having the ability to solve issues from an early age in a reasonable way. Additionally, the connection can be attributed to the support that the teenagers got from their parents while they were young and how the parents prepared them to handle such issues.
The level and the instances in which children whose parents are gay face mental health is also related to how these children relate with their parents as well as the external environmental factors. Similarly, children who their parents are lesbians, the way the children react to mental issues are directly linked to the relationship between the teenager and the mother and not how the family is structured, i.e. parents of same-sex and parents of different sex. This implies how the parents relate with their child from an early age is more important in the emotional development of the kid than the type of family structure they are in (Christopher, p 180). Thus children with heterosexual and homosexual parents should get the appropriate support and open flow of information between them. This will enhance the level of preparedness for the children in any social environment where they may encounter bullying and tease from their fellow age mates. The children will be in a better situation in handling such non-appreciative scenarios, thus enabling a stable environment with their peers and also good development of the child.
The learning institutions also have a vital role to play in promoting awareness regarding LGBTQ communities. It should be a requirement that the learning facilities offer the required resources that are vital to both the LGBTQ parents and their children. These resources should aim at offering a learning environment that is safe for LGBTQ children. Additionally, the teachers should ensure that the rest of the learners do not utter mean words to the children who their parents are either gay or lesbians. The US has made innumerable efforts in accepting LGBTQ families. For instance, many towns in the country have what they refer to as “the gay pride parade”.
Despite such efforts from Most schools find it difficult to accept heterosexual and homogeneous parents. A recent study has revealed that most of these heterogeneous parents prefer to have their children currently. The children from these family structures are likely to face a school environment that is not safe and conducive as well as a curriculum that is designated not catering for their needs. However, this does not undermine the chances for the schools to improve such environments and also coming up with ideas that aim at promoting equal educational access to every child.
In case the children from heterogeneous families feel that their family structure is unacceptable in the community and in school, they are likely to be embarrassed. Further, such children are likely to be introverts are very choosy on the occasions that they can talk about their parents (Christopher, p 180). Also, the children in such families are expected to shy away from associating with their peers and even inviting their peers to their homesteads. If deliberate efforts are made to ensure that the school environment is safe for children from such families, the children will interact more with their age mates as the peers will accept them despite the difference in their family structure.
However, the involvement of children from homosexual families in the learning activities is linked to the level of engagement their LGBTQ parents in the same activities. Some findings suggest that the parents there are instances these parents are actively involved in the activities of their kid’s learning institution, although they may sometimes feel that the environment is not safe for them. The engagement of LGBTQ parents in the learning activities of their children can inspire the school to appreciate such learners more, thus reducing the discrimination that they are likely to face. Most learning institutions have shown steady improvements in accepting children from LGBTQ parents, although there is still room for additional changes. These adaptive changes thus can be achieved if the learning environment is safe and friendly and that the homogeneous parents are engaged more in the academic activities of their children. Eventually, the schools are likely to come up with a learning environment that the children from LGBTQ families can comfortably thrive in.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several changes that have taken place in promoting awareness of LGBTQ communities. Programs regarding the psychological status, the emotional development of children and changes in the educational sector have been developed. Such programs will be of great importance to the discriminated LGBTQ community, especially in the psychological aspect to both the children and their parents. Additionally, therapy sessions, open discussions and parents and children will help to end the stigma towards the LBGTQ community.
